Traveling Without a Passport

One of the biggest excuses people use for not traveling is “I don’t have a passport.”  That really is no excuse if one truly has a hint of wanderlust.  There are a lot of countries one can visit without a passport.  Granted, it is definitely a better idea to never leave the country without a passport, but if not having a passport is the excuse for not seeing the world, I am here say that one CAN travel without a passport.

How?  Simple.  Take a cruise.  As long as the cruise starts and ends at the same port, one can visit any country the cruise goes to without a passport.  That means countries/territories like Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Aruba, Curacao, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Belize, Honduras, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands, etc. can all be explored without a passport as long as one arrives on a cruise ship.

Another option is to visit U.S. territories.  As long as your flight doesn’t stop outside the U.S.A. along the way, you can visit “foreign” United States territories without a passport.  This will allow you to go to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  Additionally, since Hawaii is a state, one can freely visit there without a passport as well.

If neither of the above options work, consider the national parks.  The National Parks concept was started in the United States by Theodore Roosevelt.  If any country has the national park concept down, it’s the U.S.A.  Check out the National Parks Service‘s website and see if there are any national treasures within a few hours drive of your home.  If so, take the time to visit.  I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed.

In case you are interested in acquiring that passport, here is a link Department of State’s website that explains step-by-step what you need to do to obtain a passport.

Happy travels,

~Bella